Creative's Zen Patent May Be Trouble for Apple

Creative Technology announces:

Creative Technology . . . today announced that it has been awarded U.S. Patent 6,928,433, which Creative is referring to as the "Zen™ Patent." The Zen Patent was awarded to Creative for its invention of the user interface for portable media players, including many of the Creative Zen and NOMAD® Jukebox MP3 players, and found in some competing players, such as the Apple iPod and iPod mini. The Zen Patent covers the user interface that enables users of portable media players to efficiently and intuitively navigate among and select tracks on the players.

More: U.S. Patent No. 6,928,433 [pdf].

More: engadget.

Update (Aug. 31, 2005): Techdirt calls Creative's patent nothing more than a publicity campaign.